soundoff(2 Responses)

David Morris

You mention Cardinal Danneels of Belgium.You may be interested to know that he was the subject of allegations regarding involvement in the Marc Dutroux case. Dutroux was convicted of abducting and murdering young girls, and claimed he did so as part of a paedophile scene involving several highly influential figures. Hardly anyone in Belgium believes the official story that two girls starved to death in a cellar. The autopsy report shows that they sustained injuries which it would have been impossible to survive. A video surfaced showing the girls being tortured and murdered and showing the recognisable figures of the Minister of Justice and Cardinal Danneels who were actually present. Danneels rushed to Rome to consult with Ratzinger, who was not yet pope, claiming that he was being blackmailed. Then in 2010 Danneels was raided by the Belgian police, who found numerous documents concerning the Dutroux case which were supposed not to have been released to anyone.

So protecting priests who were known to have abused children is, I'm afraid, the tip of the iceberg, and even in some ways is the focus of a damage limitation exercise.

You can check all of the above information online – it was all reported in mainstream channels.

Dutroux's wife, who was also convicted of abduction and murder, was released last year – to live in a convent.

Dutroux himself recently applied to be released early. The case was before the court for a few weeks. During that time, the Pope abdicated.

March 2, 2013 at 1:33 pm |

Fran Jensen

Regarding the papal scandal....There is a special place in hell for men of the collar, no matter what level (the papacy included), who participate in child abuse.